Mandarin started eating frozen food

[Nandez13]

Over the last couple of weeks, I noticed my mandarin seemed to be nipping at frozen food but wasn't sure if he was keeping it down or coughing it up after tasting it. He was never in a spot to get a good look at him and other times ignored frozen food completely. The last couple of times I've fed mysis, he's swallowed down a few of them for sure. I never tried training him to eat since I thought the system was large enough. I have had him in an established 120 gallon system for close to a year so I wasn't worried about him not having enough pods but I'm pretty pumped he's developed a taste for frozen food. Makes it easier to add a 2nd mandarin in the near future
:groupflip

 

[homegrowncichlid]

they easy to train if they were in isolation with target feeding, but once in the main tank, they have too many options and much harder to train.
Personally, I trained a mandarin from baby brine to frozen brine, to frozen mysis within a week in isolation, but then I couldn't introduce it to the main tank, since there was no way I could target feed him in there.

 

[Nandez13]

they easy to train if they were in isolation with target feeding, but once in the main tank, they have too many options and much harder to train.
Personally, I trained a mandarin from baby brine to frozen brine, to frozen mysis within a week in isolation, but then I couldn't introduce it to the main tank, since there was no way I could target feed him in there.

I've heard many people had trouble trouble training mandarins so I didn't bother trying. Didn't have a separate setup in which to do it any way. I'd think that once they were trained, they wouldn't need to be target fed in the tank.

He decided to start eating mysis if it was within a few inches of him but doesn't necessarily swim all over the place during feeding time like my other fish do. Now the challenge is finding a female to pair him with.

 

[BAD FISH]

That's awesome mine just fights off the wrasses for pods

 

[Branespikin]

I feed my tank inhabitants LRS Reef frenzy my mandarin loves this stuff. No special treatment or training just started eating when i fed rest of the tank. My scooter blenny loves it too.

 

[Paul B]

I trained mine to text me when he is hungry, or he just sends out for take out

 

[Branespikin]

Lol-Paul- i also did that brine feeder with electric tape holder. Works like a charm.

 

[salpet]

I trained mine to text me when he is hungry, or he just sends out for take out

how long did it take you buddy?

 

[Nandez13]

That's awesome mine just fights off the wrasses for pods

Woah, my mandarin is too passive to fend off anyone, he keeps to himself all the time. I have 3 wrasses in there with him (not that much larger than the mandarin) which is another reason I was hesitant to add a 2nd mandarin.

Does anyone know of definite ways to identify a female apart from the missing spike on the dorsal fin? It seems many people buy what they believe is a female mandarin only to find out it was a juvenile male that didn't have a pronounced spike yet. Paul B, can you share your wisdom?

 

[Paul B]

Lol-Paul- i also did that brine feeder with electric tape holder. Works like a charm.

Of course it does.